Quebec Entrepreneurship Contest MELS Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure (IEM)

1. Quebec Entrepreneurship Contest MELS Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure (IEM) Audrée Fortier Student entrepreneurship coordinator and Responsible of MELS Introduction to entrepreneuship Measure audree.fortier@riq.qc.ca

2. Mandate Entrepreneurship project The brief description Is there a need? Some ideas Proposed agenda

3. Roles and Mandate Québec Entrepreneurship Contest • Promote the Contest • Reception of application packages • Verify whether the project is of an entrepreneurial nature • Accept or refuse project submission • Confirm eligible project before March 20th 2009) • Form juries and send the winning application to the regional office ( March 16th until April 9th 2009) MELS Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure (IEM) • Dossiers à approuver (deadline for soumission March 23th 2009) • Dossiers à envoyer (deadline for direction April 14th2009)

4. Eligibility to participate Eligible Project: Entrepreneurial project Project must be realised during the school year 2008-2009 Most of the activities have to be realised before March16th Recurrent projects with a significant change (Eligible) Hypothetical business plan or project (Not eligible) Educational institution recognized by the MELS.

5. An Entrepreneurship project: • Is intended to produce something new, to innovate, to take action to create a product, service or event that as value for a target group. • Is designed to solve a problem or to meet a clearly identified need. • Has an impact and repercussions, and a certain scope. • Mobilized people around a common goal. • Allows students to develop their entrepreneurial skills. • Involves students in the implementation of the project. Those projects are eligible to IEM

6. QEC evaluation criteria 1. The quality of the candidate’s application package 2. The response to a real need addressed to a target audience 3. Innovation 4. Scope 5. Mobilization 6. Student’s involvement in the development and completion of the project, as well as the development of entrepreneurial qualities 7. Overall assessment of the project

7. The entrepreneurial nature of the project: • What community need or issues does the project deal with? 2. What is the outcome: is it a product, a service or an event? And who is the target audience ?   3. How are students involved in developing (decision making) and carrying out the project? How does this foster the development of entrepreneurial values? • The main steps in carrying out a project • The project’s start and end dates (schedule) Brief description

8. 1.The students noticed that it is ward to find a place to recycle used household batteries. 2.    The group set up a household battery recycling service for all students and school staff. 3.    The student formed a committee to collect batteries, promote the recycling service in the school, and transport the batteries to the city’s recycling center. Every Monday the students got together to plan their work for the week ahead. Each student had a set of well-defined responsibilities suited to his\her role (responsible for collection containers, advertising agent, etc.) • Steps in carrying out a project: obtaining information on battery recycling. Forming work committees. Distributing the collection containers and setting up the collection schedule. Promoting the service. Collecting the batteries. • The project started in October and ended in early June. Brief description

9. Example: In September 2007, the Hudson Community Centre youth coordinator, Ms Donna Karpman called together a group of teens who were active at the centre and informed them they needed a fundraiser. Many community groups were willing to participate in the project as Hudson is generally a town where there is not much to do and the youth centre provides many activities for the community's youth. Laura Susel and friends worded with the Haunted House theme and decided on the new Alice in Wonderland theme. A G rating was essential as young children must be participating and entertained. There were adult supervisors but the group of students designed, purchased, constructed and acted in their exhibit. The positive feedback was overwhelming. The event took place on October 28th. Entertained 300 people and raised $1800. The local newspapers carried the story (see attached). Without this successful fundraiser, many of the other activities at the centre could not have functioned during the year. Students selecting appropriate entertainment, allowed for teamwork, leadership and communication,time management, attention to detail, following through on a commitment, were some of many new skills acquired.  

10. Special attention to this type of project: • Leads to actions to create a product, service, or event • Involves students in the implementation of the project. • Allows students to develop their entrepreneurial skills. PROJET NOT ELIGIBLE TO IEM since it does not meet the entrepreneurship project definition

11. Refused project’s example: 15 students […] took part in the tracing, cutting, sanding, staining and decorating of wooden Christmas bells and stars. The students began production the later part of October and after approximately 8 class periods, each student had produced at least 1 bell or star that was sold at the parent-teacher evening in late November. All the wooden pieces were purchased by adults, staff and or students who did not buy them just to support the students but also because they appreciated a cute, well made Christmas decoration at a very reasonable price. […] All the students were able to participate in all aspects of their projects with minimal to full adult supervision. All of the students in the group have learning disabilities with some also having weak fine motor skills. This activity allowed them to create projects in the workshop and use tools that they would not necessarily use at any other time. […] This project is one that has many benefits for everyone and is definitely worthy of being considered for an entrepreneurial grant.  

12. Is collecting money for a school trip or a field trip answering a real need? Is making a production that you are passionate about answering a real need? Did you identify a real need? NO, it’s a wish

13. Difficult issues lived inside school Leads for identify needs • School educational plan • Community needs • Specific demand from a partner/Non-profit organisation • Environmental,social, humanities causes etc

14. Generally refused Projects

15. Helpful questions 1. Did you identify a target group who lived an issue? 2. Did you analyse the issue lived by your target group? 3. Is your production ( product/service/event] linked to you target group’s issue? 4. Were the student involved in developing and carrying out the project and did they developed their entrepreneurial values? 5. Further to your project, is the target group’s situation improved?

16. Questions? Audrée Fortier Telephone: 418.644.4255 extension 3261 audree.fortier@riq.qc.ca